It's an 11 race card on Haskell Car Show Day at Monmouth Park. As a matter of fact, we are only two weeks away from the aforementioned Haskell, featuring the great American Pharoah. It looks as if he will have up to eight challengers in that race. Good stuff!
Weather Forecast: 88*F, Partly Cloudy
It's gettin' hot in here...
Race 1: Claiming $16,000 (n/w2L), 3yo and up, Fillies and Mares, 6 Furlongs
I'm not exactly saying anything Earth-shattering here, but the 3, Musket Mary, is unbeatable in the opener. Her last three brisnet figures are 93, 83, and 83. That means that her worst over her last three is five points better than anyone else's last three. This filly may give American Pharoah a run for his money as the shortest-priced favorite of the season.
3- Musket Mary (4/5)
1- I Just Wanna Win (3/1)
5- House Red (9/2)
Race 2: Maiden Claiming $10,000, 3yo and up, 5 1/2 Furlongs
You know, I looked at the entries for today's card, and I saw there was a $10,000 maiden claiming for older horses here. Then, I saw that the next race is the exact same thing, only at six furlongs. My mind remains boggled by that, and it may be a while yet before it gets unboggled.
Anyway, this is a wide-open race here, and is one of the few maiden claiming races all season that is fun to handicap. I wound up settling on the 2, Zeal Genius. At this level last out, he led almost the entire way around, only to get caught down the stretch. He still improved sharply in that race, moving up six points. He's the only one in the field to consistently run figures in the upper-60s, without being a chronic maiden. I'll take a shot.
The 5, Malekith, ran solidly in his first start off the layoff, and only lost to Zeal Genius by 1/2 length. He may improve with a race in him. The 8, Hunter Grey, ran figures in the 70s over the winter at Aqueduct, but sports an unsightly 0-18 lifetime record.
2- Zeal Genius (5/2)
5- Malekith (3/1)
8- Hunter Grey (8/1)
Race 3: Maiden Claiming $10,000, 3yo and up, 6 Furlongs
Another race, another standout. The 7, Yourthekingjimmy, looks as much of a "shore" thing as possible. His last three figures are 75, 71, and 64, which blow everyone else in the field away. He looked clear down the stretch in his last race, before being run down by Naughty Delite. However, Yourthekingjimmy was not the standout in that race like he is in this one. Here, he looks to be miles the best. I don't see him losing.
7- Yourthekingjimmy (4/5)
6- Full Pads (9/2)
3- Super Garces (8/1)
Race 4: Claiming $5,000, 3yo and up, Fillies and Mares, 5 1/2 Furlongs
A big field of twelve greets us in here. My pick is the 6, Double Desert. She was decent last out in her first race off the layoff, finishing third at this level. Her figures are all in the 70s, making her one of the best and most consistent members of the field. Her late speed is also an asset, as she figures to sit off the pace, and roll by with some of the best late speed figures in the race.
The 9, Shes Tuff as Nails, was second in that race that Double Desert also exits. This one's got a great chance as well. The 7, Sandbag, finally finds a race where she may be able to hang on near the end. Watch for her at a price.
6- Double Desert (3/1)
9- Shes Tuff as Nails (7/2)
7- Sandbag (6/1)
Race 5: Maiden Claiming $35,000, 3yo and up, 1 Mile (Grass)
The early pick 5 ends on a very tricky note. Pretty much anyone in this race can win it. Because of that, it helps to find a horse with something that makes them stand out a bit. The 6, I Ain't Waitin, has a few positive attributes. He's making his third start off the layoff, and ran well at Parx before that. He gets a major jockey upgrade, too, as he'll be ridden by Paco Lopez. That gives him the edge that he'll need to win this one.
The 5, Pasta Giovanni, ships up from Florida, where he ran some decent races against similar competition. The 1, How You, drops down into maiden claiming competition, which might just be the level that he needs.
6- I Ain't Waitin (3/1)
5- Pasta Giovanni (5/1)
1- How You (7/2)
Race 6: Starter Optional Claiming $7,500, 3yo and up, 1 Mile 70 Yards
It's a fun field of six hard-knocking horses. My pick is the 5, Saturday Special. I know I won't get much value on him, but I do know that he absolutely demolished a similar field last out, earning a field-best figure of 94. He's got the best early speed and the best late speed in the race by far, so it should be a cruise around the track for him.
The 2, Keep the Canoli, defeated a field at the $5,000 in his last race, earning a 93. He's got a strong chance at second or third, and is a must-use in those spots. The 1, Gypsy Baron, ran third behind Joe Tess, who freaked in that race, last out. He looks to rebound off that effort.
5- Saturday Special (8/5)
2- Keep the Canoli (7/2)
1- Gypsy Baron (4/1)
Race 7: Starter Handicap, 3yo and up, 1 Mile (Grass)
Another terrific field has lined up here. I'll take the classiest and fastest horse in the field: the 9, Cement Clement. He was right in the thick of things the whole way around the Elkwood Stakes last out, losing by only half a length. He earned a figure of 96 in that race, which matched his race before that. In addition, jockey Kaylia Albright comes up from Delaware just to ride him--a good sign. This horse looks like a "shore" bet.
The 1, More Zen Tea, just missed in a n/w1x allowance last out, and is an appealing prospect at 10/1. The 8, Cut to Order, hopes to wire this field, and has the speed to possibly do that again.
9- Cement Clement (5/2)
1- More Zen Tea (10/1)
8- Cut to Order (9/2)
Race 8: Allowance Optional Claiming (n/w1x), 3yo and up, Fillies and Mares, 1 Mile
A lot of horses in this field have plenty of experience in here. Somewhat ironically, I'll go with the 7, Tidal Surge, who has made only one career start. However, it was an impressive one, winning a maiden race easily at Delaware Park. Her figure in that race was a 95, which is easily the best in the field. Her late speed is also much stronger than the rest of the horses's, so she could not only win this one, but win it big. After that, who knows what she could do from here?
The 5, Miss Wilby, was third and fourth at this level this year at Monmouth. In the earlier race, she lost to eventual Delaware Oaks winner Calamity Kate. The 3, Love Came to Town, has been electrifying in sprints so far, and hopes to extend her brilliance to routes.
7- Tidal Surge (2/1)
5- Miss Wilby (6/1)
3- Love Came to Town (6/1)
Race 9: Allowance (n/w1x), 3yo and up, Fillies and Mares, 1 Mile (Grass)
Much to the surprise of most people, Cali Thirty Seven ran well in her grass debut, finishing third at 41/1. Now, she makes her second grass start, in a race where she appears to be one of the best in here. Her last figure was 83. which is the best last-out figure in the field. In a very-wide open field like this one, she has the edge. Hopefully, she'll be a good price--a 9/2 morning line is promising.
The 9, Babe's Ruler, defeated a field of n/w2 claimers with an overland trip in her last race. The 10, Forest Funds, narrowly missed in her last effort, and trainer Ramon Preciado hits at 26% first off the claim.
5- Cali Thirty Seven (9/2)
9- Babe's Ruler (6/1)
10- Forest Funds (7/2)
Race 10: Miss Woodford Stakes, 3yo, Fillies, 6 Furlongs
A crack field of eleven filly sprinters has assembled for the Miss Woodford Stakes. Miss Woodford, for those who may not know, won the 1883 Monmouth Oaks, and was considered the premier female horse of her time. She was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1967.
Anyway, it's a very tough race in here. I'll go with the Florida shipper, the 2, Sky Gold. In her last race, at Gulfstream, she easily defeated a n/w1x allowance field by three lengths, earning a figure of 91. While that places her in the mix with a few others, what makes that race notable is that it was her first start off a five-month layoff. When breaking her maiden in January, she earned a figure of 97, which places her at the top of this bunch. She's got a good inside post, a jockey who knows the track, and a rating style coupled with solid late speed. I've tabbed her to bring home the money here.
My rooting interests lie with the 1, Bustin Out, who defeated a field of Jersey-breds in insanely easy fashion last out. I'm not "shore" if she's fast enough to run with these, but I have no doubt she could've run faster if she had been urged in her last race. I'll be pulling for her. The 5, Thepartyneverends, regressed after getting caught in a duel in her last outing. She's shown a lot of potential in the past, however, so don't count her out.
2- Sky Gold (4/1)
5- Thepartyneverends (7/2)
1- Bustin Out (8/1)
Race 11: Maiden Claiming $50,000, 3yo and up, 5 1/2 Furlongs (Grass)
You might as well throw a dart at this field. My dart landed on the 6, Tax Deduction, who led almost the whole way around at Churchill in his grass debut last out. He should find a shorter distance more to his liking.
6- Tax Deduction (7/2)
4- Class and Cash (2/1)
7- Charlesbrecknridge (5/1)
The first race Sunday is at 12:50 PM EDT. Good luck!
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